ff:The Synchronicity Solution

[Carol.Clarke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Title: The Synchronicity Solution
Chapter One: Walking in Your Footsteps
Rating NC-17/R
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Timeline: The Story bounces around in time from 2003 to 2019. 
Summary. Catherine Finn likes to help people, human and non-human alike. But
can she save her own granddaughter?
Thanks: Cheryl Hill


The Synchronicity Solution
Walking in Your Footsteps

April 4, 2003 Louisville Ky.

Ryan and Catherine Finn smiled at their son-in-law as he pointed out his
company's box at Churchill Downs Racetrack. He was trying to show off to his
in-laws. 

"Interim Technologies keeps a box here for business purposes. It is a great
incentive to the employees as well. Each year the company gives one of its
workers two tickets for the Kentucky Derby. Two years ago Mary and I sat
right next to the CEO and his wife at the Derby." Mark said proudly.

"This is wonderful. I can't believe we are here and in such wonderful seats
Mark. It is amazing." Catherine said in an extremely sincere voice. Honestly
she cared little for horse racing but she understood her son-in-law was
giving it his all to impress them. He really only needed to love her
daughter and be a good husband. That was all the simple farmer's wife wanted
for all her children. Someone for them to love who loved them. 

"Son relax, you already have our blessing. Now can you explain all these
numbers on the program? I want to pick me out a good horse and I can't make
head or tail of this program." Ryan Finn said to his son-in-law.

Catherine had almost burst out laughing. She knew damn good and well that
Ryan Finn could read the program in his sleep. The man loved racing whether
it was dogs, horses or cars. It didn't matter; a race was a race. All her
sons were sport crazy. Over the holidays she had to pry Riley and Mathew
away from the TV to eat dinner. Thankfully Riley's girlfriend had been there
to do most of the prying. She had liked the girl and hoped Riley would
marry. He needed to settle down now that he had gotten the whole army thing
out of his system. Dr. Riley Finn, Catherine smiled at the thought of her
son getting his PHD this coming May, even if it was in Psychology. 

"Mom, you still want to go to the gift shop?" Mary asked

"That would be nice. Besides I want to look around a bit." Catherine
replied.

(((((*)))))))((((((((*)))))))

Katherine had bought tee shirts for her grandchildren and a hat for Ryan
then she had started wondering around the old stadium. It almost vibrated
with history. That and it really was somewhat run down. Still it did have a
charm about it. As she wondered around the paddock area she noticed the
girl. 

The girl was trying to hide from on lookers as she double-checked her
tickets. Her long sleeves and hat were what had made her stand out in such a
warm climate. Studying the little demon Catherine guessed the girl must have
human blood as well. Either half or at least one quarter human Catherine
surmised. And from the nervous way she kept looking around Catherine guessed
the girl was in trouble. 

It was hard to guess the nature of the trouble since the girl's eyes were
hidden behind dark glasses. And since spectral demon's eyes glowed in the
dark she doubted if seeing the girl's eyes would help. 

She had met many a spectral demon. Her grandmother had befriended one in the
old country. Only her grandmother had called them banshee. 

The girl had noticed Catherine staring at her and was trying to cover her
skin and to shirk further back into the shadows. The fear on the girl
showing as her skin began to glow slightly. Smiling Catherine walked
straight over to the girl.

"You need to calm down dear or someone is going to notice all that bright
light under all your dark clothes." Catherine said to the girl as she used
her own body to shield the girl from on lookers. What ever the girl was up
to, she wasn't very good at hiding it. 

"Are you from the track. A monitor?" The girl asked holding out her tickets.

Catherine finally realizing what the girl was up to, and answered, "No I am
not from the track but I would guess a place like this must have monitors
for psychics. Though I didn't know banshees, sorry, spectral demons, were
psychics?"

"They're not." The girl whispered.

"But you are, am I right?" Catherine asked pointedly. She was glad to see
the girls skin was returning to a human color. 

"Not really, not the way you mean. I can pick horses sometimes or small
things but I can't tell the future. Not like my mom." The girl explained as
she once again held out her tickets in a gesture of surrender.

"I'm Catherine. And you really should put your tickets away."

"I don't have any money. I put it all on the races. I only had forty
dollars." The demon explained still trying to hand over the tickets.

"Let's try this again. I am Catherine and you are?"

"Alex, Alex Valaqeauz."

"Valaqeauz? Funny name for a Banshee. It's nice to meet you."

"Ok" the girl said, still confused.

"I'll make you a deal, you give me a few tips on the second race and I'll
buy you something to eat. When was the last time you ate anyway?"

(((((((*))))))) (((((((((*)))))))))))

April 4, 2003 Sunnydale California.

Buffy felt the sun rise. She always felt the sun rise even in her sleep. And
in her sleep was really where she had wanted to feel the sun rise this
morning. And she would have felt the sun rise in her sleep if she didn't
have this sudden urge to vomit as the sun started to rise. 

As she sat hunched over the toilet in her mothers house Buffy thought, I am
just going to have to ask Giles what the hell is going on. "This is the
third time this week I have been woken up by the sun and had to throw up."
Buffy said to the toilet.

"Maybe you're pregnant." Dawn mused from the bathroom door.

"Dawn it's just the flu." Buffy replied. Her sister had a bad habit of
sneaking up on her. 

"I don't know what you're worried about. Mom likes your boyfriend. I heard
her yesterday saying how much she wanted grandkids or how Riley would be the
perfect son-in-law. You should have heard what she called Tom." Dawn rattled
on.

"Dawn shut..." Barf sounds cut Buffy off as she began throwing up again.
Once she was finished Buffy wiped her mouth and turned to her sister.

"Mom would like Tom a lot more if he had a few less pierced body parts and
tattoos. And don't think I don't know about the tattoo on your ankle. Mom
will not be pleased about that when she finds out." 

"Well at least I'm not pregnant."

"I am not pregnant." Buffy screamed as her mother appeared behind Dawn.




"I wear the cheese it does not wear me." Bald Man, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.